By: Rita Naa Ayeley Armah
Back in the days, when tribes used to fight each other and claim territories, when tribes had to defend themselves in order to survive. The people of Ada mostly found themselves defending to survive, due to their size. In a bid to establish their territory, they fought notable battles like: the Katamanso war, the Glover war, the Battle of Nonobe and many more.
As the wars became frequent, rituals were put in place to welcome their brave soldiers and war heroes back home. Some of these rituals included foot washing and the firing of muskets to announce their arrival.
In the 1900s, there were no wars to be fought or attacks from other tribes, thus the rituals performed to welcome the brave soldiers were abolished as they were no longer needed. The people however still felt the need to put in place a festival to celebrate their soldiers, ancestors and past chiefs who all contributed to the successful establishment of Ada. This paved the way for the establishment of the Asafotufiam as a replacement for the welcoming rituals performed for returning soldiers.
Asafotufiam is a word derived from Asafotufiami which in Dangme can be translated as “Shooting Muskets by a Group”, meaning a group of soldiers practicing or demonstrating how to shoot muskets.
The name Asafo-to-fiam consists of three words. “Asafo” means “warriors”, “to” means “muskets or old guns”, and “fiam” also means “shoot”.
It is celebrated annually by the people of Ada who are part of the Gadangme tribe located in the southern part of Ghana.
During the festival, people dress up as warriors and reenact historical battles to show their military strength, firing muskets (old guns) is a big part of the festival, symbolizing the return of warriors from battle, the chief and clan leaders lead parades and elders perform special rituals during the festival. This brings together the Ada community, including those who live far away, to celebrate their culture and history.
The festival features traditional music, drumming, food and dancing, thereby showcasing the rich culture of the Ada people.
There are two groups (called Asafo) in Ada: Akomfode and Asorkor. Membership in these groups is based on family lineage through mothers.
All young men who attain puberty age are then initiated into their respective Asafo companies by teaching them how to handle, load a gun and fire for the first time.
Overall, Asafotufiam is a vibrant celebration that honors the past while bringing the community together in pride and unity. It is better experienced than told. So in case you want to experience one of Ghana’s beautiful displays of tradition and culture, pass by Ada this and every August.
